In this episode we WadeOutThere with Mike Wilson, from Florence, Montana. Mike was born and raised in Indiana. Unable to afford college tuition during the Vietnam War, Mike dropped out. He was drafted into the Army, and served three years, including one combat tour as a rescue helicopter pilot. When he came home, he and his new bride left Indiana, determined to find a new home and make a life.They moved from spot to spot… searching. Canada, Montana, California, Las Vegas. Eventually, they landed in Boulder, Colorado where Mike bought his first fly rod and learned to cast in a mud puddle in front of their apartment. The streams and lakes of Colorado became Mike’s fly fishing classroom, until he decided to try his luck at college again. They moved back to Montana, where Mike studied forestry, and worked for the forest service. He built a life surrounded by nature and continued to enjoy the therapeutic and challenging nature of fly fishing over the decades he has since lived in the Bitterroot Valley.We discuss the pros and cons of complicating fly fishing versus keeping it simple, lake fishing in southwestern Montana, and the crossroads between pressure, restrictions, blame, and empathy when it comes to protecting our natural resources.Learn More:READ: How two exploratory mining projects could shape the headwaters of iconic Montana riversSign up for Jason's free email newsletter (WadeOutThere Wednesday) at WadeOutThere.com/Wednesday

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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